KEY NWPL POST FOR ROSS ELDER

Ross Elder, respected former international referee and Great Britain water polo committee member, has become the new chairman of the National League’s officials’ sub-committee.

He takes over from ex-NWPL chairman and secretary Stephen Baker, who chaired the committee from its inception in 2004 and was instrumental in introducing a number of key organisational changes, notably relating to the introduction of delegates at NWPL weekends.

Ross’s contribution of British water polo – and the game in his native Scotland, in particular – has been immense over many years.

He played polo and swam for Taybridge SA for some 35 years, holding various posts and guiding the club to eight Scottish Water Polo Junior Championships. In 1973, Taybridge were the only club from the Midlands or the North District to win the Scottish Senior Cup in 92 years.

As a player, Ross represented Scotland at youth, junior and senior level and   captained the junior team. He was Scottish national water polo convenor for 18 years, also serving on the Great Britain technical committee – on five occasions, as chairman.

Ross was team manager of the Scottish junior and ladies’ team for more than 10 years and became senior men’s team manager in 1983. In 1988, the Scottish ASA centenary year, Scotland won the Home Nations title the first time in 94 years.

During 28 years as a referee, Ross took charge of more than 2000 domestic games. He was appointed to the LEN list in 1979, serving for 25 years and officiating at many European tournaments. He refereed at the British Championships, Home Nations and Celtic Nations tournaments as well as cup finals in Ireland, England and Scotland.